Apparatus for collecting, stacking and handling sheet material



Jan. 5, 1965 c. c. KINKER 3,164,270

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING STACKING AND HANDLING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Jan. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 as nglzz c. c. KxNKER 3,164,270

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING STACKING AND HANDLING SHEET MATERIAL Jan. 5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1962 c. c. KINKER 3,164,270

Jan. 5, 1965 APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING STACKING AND HANDLING SHEET MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 4, 1962 INVENTOR.

WZ. JJ?? United States Patent O "i 3,164,270 APPARATUS FR CLLECTMG, STACKENG AND HANDLNG SHEET MAEEREAL Clarence C. Klinker, Toledo, Ohio, assigner to @wenslllinois Glass Company, a corporation of @lilo Filed Jan. 4, E62, Ser. No., 164,339 23 Claims. (Ci. 214-6) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for collecting, stacking, and handling material delivered in successive sheets from a machine. The invention will be illustrated in its application to apparatus for handling sheet material from a corrugating mach-ine, such apparatus `being generally known as an off-bearing device.

A corrugator delivers sheet material in such quantity as to present a serious handling problem at the discharge end of the machine. The delivered sheet material is usually collected and formed into stacks and since the operation is a continuous one, there is no time available between the delivery of successive sheets in which a completed stack can be removed and a new staclr started.

Oli-bearing devices in commercial use generally employ either of two solutions to this handling problem. ln one type of device two staclr forming stations are provided along with a mechanism for diverting sheets delivered from the machine to either one of these stations. While a stack is being collected at one station, a previously formed stacl; is removed from the other station. This type of device ris subie t to the general disadvantage of being quite expensive because of the amount of structure and mechanism required for providing two stations and for handling stacks from each of these stations The other type of device operates on the general principal of providing some means for holding back the how of sheets delivered from the machine for an interval sufficient to permit the remov of Ia formed stack. A ragged stack forming operation is usually encountered in devices of this type because suflicient time cannot be provided in this manner for the orderly removal of a bundle without holding back the flow of rin-coming sheets to such an extent that these sheets become disarranged. As the number of sheets delivered in a given time interval increases, this condition becomes worse with the result that this type of device definitely limits the rate at which a corrugator can be operated either in terms of sheets per time interval or lineal feet of material per time interval.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an off-bearing device which is relatively simple structurally and which operates to collect sheets delivered from the machine into stacks or bundles without disturbing the ilow of sheets from the machine, in which adequate time is provided for the removal of a bundle VWhile a `succeeding bundle is being collected.

The apparatus of the present invention provides a receiving station to which sheets of material are delivered from the discharge end of the corrugator. Underfeed stacking means are mounted at this receiving station for forming a pile of sheets by feeding each sheet received from the machine under the immediately preceding sheet. A transfer station is located adjacent to the receiving station, and the apparatus includes conveying means for separating sheets from the pile of sheets at the receiving station in uniform stacks and transporting each stack to the transfer station, the conveying means being supported by suitable means for cyclic movement across the receiving and transfer station and return to enter the receiving station at a level below the lowerrnost sheet in a stack. The conveying means are driven by suitable mechanism at a rate synchronized with the rate at which sheets are delivered from the machine so that atleast the number of sheets to be segregated into a stack have been collected in the pile at the `receiving station prior to entering movement of the conveying nie-ans into the receive mg station. At the transfer station, means are included for unloading a stack from the conveying means, together with means for withdrawing an unloaded stack from the transfer `station prior to the unloading of an immediately following stack.

T hus the apparatus operates to continuously collect delivered sheets into a pile. At suitable intervals, depending upon the size of stacks desired, the conveying means operates to segregatethls number of sheets from the top of fthe pile and remove the sheets segregated in a stack which is transported to a transfer station, deposited there, and then removed for subsequent handling.

h One or more of the following features are preferably included in the apparatus:

(a) the receiving and transfer stations are arranged 1n end-.to-end relation in the direction of discharging movement of sheets coming from the machine;

(b) The conveying means comprises a pair of endless members such as chains mounted on opposite sides of the receiving and 4transfer stations for travel in parallel vertical loops each of which includes a conveying run and the return run;

(c) At least one, but preferably two or more stack carriers, are mounted between the chains in spaced relation yaround the loops, thereby reducing the rate at which the stack carriers must be driven in relation to the rate at which Ithe number of sheets for a stack are delivered from the machine;

(d) The removal of stacks from a stack carrier at the transfer station is accomplished by providing an abutment member against which the leading end of a stack is brought into contact so that the stack is stopped while movement of the stack carrier continues beyond the transfer station, the spacing between the trailing end of one carrier and the leading end of an immediately following carrier being sufficient to permit the stack to pass through this space andfall onto suitable supporting means at the transfer station;

(e) This supporting means at the transfer station may be a conveyor for removing the stack therefrom, or alternately, may be a support which is movable in relation to a conveyor so as 'to transfer the stack thereto for removal from the transfer station;

(f) The path of travel of the endless members and stack carriers, at least on the conveying run thereof, is defined by tracks, the stack carrier being supported by rollers for movement thereon;

(g) rl`hese tracks are employed in pairs, there being one pair used in conjunction with each endless member, and the stack carrier is of segmented construction consisting of a leading and a series of following supportving bars, the leading bar being mounted between one track of each pair and .the following bars between the other track of each pair, thereby permitting the leading bar to be articulated relative to the following bars by providing a link connection between the leading bar and the endless members, and aiding in segregating the sheets of a stack from the pile of sheets at the receiving station by arranging the tracks so that the leading bar enters the receiving station at a level lower than the following bars and is then brought up rapidly into engagement with the bottom of the lowerrnost sheet in `a stack;

(h) Segregation of a stack at the receiving station is further facilitated by providing means for partially supporting the pile of sheets so as to leave an unsupported portion of the pile which is initially engageable by the leading edge of the stack carrier, or alternately by providing a stop at the receiving station engageable by the leading edge of each sheet to define the position of the pile of sheets, this stop including a shiftable lower pormeagre tion which when moved results in a shifting of any sheets in contact therewith so as to create an offset between the bottom sheet of a stack and any sheets in the pile below such bottom sheet.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following description of the representative emobdirnents the eof shown in the accompanying drawings which consist of the following views:

FIGURE l, a partially schematic side elevation of the apparatus with parts thereof being shown in section as indicated by the line l-i ot' FlG. 3;

FIGURE 2, a side elevation showing the left-hand portion of the apparatus of FlG. l at the moment of initial engagement between a stack carrier and a stack;

FGURE 3, a fragmentary transverse section tal-en as indicated by the line 3 3 of FlG. l;

FIGURE 4, a side elevation similar to FIG. l showing `a slightly altered form `of construction;

FlGURE 5, a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FEG. 4 at another stage in the cycl-e of operation thereof;

FIGURE 6, an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 4 showing initial engagement between a stack carrier and stack at the receiving station;

FIGURE 7, a fragmentary plan View showing the relationship between one of the endless members, a pair of tracks and the stack carrier supported thereby; and

FlGURE 8, a sectional detail taken as indicated by the line 8 3 of FIG. 6.

These drawings purposely omi-t, for clarity and simplicity, a detailed showing of components such as supporting framework, driving means, etc., which can readily be provided by a designer of ordinary skill.

In the form of apparatus shown in FlGS 1-3, the discharge end of a maclnne such as a corrugator is represented by the pair of delivery rolls lil and l1 at the left side of FIG. l. Each sheet, such as the sheet l2 shown, passing between the rolls lll and 1l enters the apparatus and engages the continuously moving belt 14 of an underfeed stacking device consisting of the belt 114 trained about the pulleys l5, le and S7. This stacking device moves each sheet into the initial portion or receiving station of the apparatus under an immediately preceding sheet to a position/defined by Contact between the leading edge of a sheet and a stop l thus forming a pile of sheets 20 at the receiving station.

Adjacent to the receiving station, and in end-to-end relation therewith, is a transfer station which includes a support in the form of a number of transversely extending parallel bars 22 each secured to one or more cross members 24 mounted on a pair of iluid pressure cylinders Ztl. Transfer conveying means are provided, consisting of a number of belt segments 28 carried on grooved rollers such as the roller 3@ shown in FIG. 3, with each belt segment running between an adjacent pair of the parallel bars 22.

Sheets collected in the pile Ztl at the receiving station are periodically segregated from the pile into a stack and moved to the transfer station by conveying means which travel between the two stations. This conveying means consists in a pair of endless chains 32, each chain being trained about a 'pair of sprockets 33 and 34 so as to travel in a vertical loop at one side of the receiving and transfer stations, it being understood that the structure shown in FIG. 3 is, with respect to this conveying means, symmetrical about the center line 3S.

A pair of stack carriers 36 and 3S are secured between the chains 32, these carriers being preferably uniformly spaced around the length of the chains. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to 8, each carrier consists of a plurality of transversely extending reinforcing members, there being a leading member 4t) and a series of following members 4l, and a length of exible belt-like material 42 to which each of the reinforcing members di? but The leading member 49 is constructed as a rela thin or wedge shaped transverse bar. Leading rn er is provided at each of its ends with an axle-like proiection i3 (FlG. 6) on which a roller dii is in inted, and a link d5 or i551 connects the leading membc to a longitudinally offset chain pin de. Each of the folmwifig members il includes an axle-like extension i7 on each of its ends which is connected directly to a pair of adjacent chain links 48 and di* and which is provided with a roller Sti,

The conveying means consisting of the chain and carriers is supported for movement on a lower conveying run and an upper return run in a path defined respectively by a lower track 52 and an upper track 53. These tracks consist of a pair of track members for each of and l is connected.

Mlof the leading reinforcing member Each roller 56 of the following series of reinforcing members il is supported on the outer track member 55 of each pair, and at the entrance end of the receiving station each inner track member Sdfollows a path which extends below the path of the outer track member Si' and then back up into horizontal parallel relation therewith for a purpose to be presently described.

Movement of Le chains and carriers is synchronized with the rate at which sheets are formed by the corrugator by a drive take-olf t' from the corrugator knife mechanism (not shown) through a variable speed transmission tl and a cha n 62 to a sprocket 63 at one end of the shaft 6d on which the chain sprockets 33 are keyed.

All of the foregoing structure is found in the form of apparatus illustrated in FEGS. 4 to 6, and the same reference numbers have been applied to corresponding parts thereof except for minor variations in the arrangement of `the structure as follows:

{u} The belt da and pulleys i551, ida, l'ie, (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the underfeed stacker at the receiving station have a somewhat diferent location and proportion than do the corresponding parts of the structure previously described, with the result that the pile of sheets 25M is supported in the location defined by the stop 13a with that portion 66 of the pile adjacent to the initial part of the conveying run of the stack carriers being unsupported to a greater extent `than is the corresponding portion of the pile in the apparatus of FlG. l.

(b) The carrier supporting tracks S and 55, is defining the path of carrier travel on the conveying run, enter the receiving station along a portion 6% and extend initially upward from a level below the level of the lowerrnost sheet 69 in the pile, with the tracks 5d which define the path of the leading member of the carrier extending upwardly from an even lower level. At the far side of the receiving station the carrier tracks include another portion 7% extending upwardly to a level above that of the fixed stop member lila, which results in a corresponding track configuration at 7l along the return run.

ln each form of the apparatus, the conveying means operates to separate sheets from the pile Ztl or Ziia at the receiving station in stacks and to transport each stack to the transfer station. Separation of a stack from the pile 0f sheets is accomplished by providing an overhanging unsupported portion of the pile for initial engagement Of a stack carrier of the conveying means with the lowermost sheet of the unsupported portion. ri`he manner in which this is accomplished differs slightly in the two forms of apparatus shown in the drawings.

Referring to the form of apparatus shown in FGS. l-3, the pile of sheets at the receiving station is positioned by the stop l which includes an upwardly movable portion 7d and a portion 'T5 formed of a number of bars horizontally movable by suitable means such as the fluid pressure cylinder To out of and into inter-lingered relation with downward projections 77 of the portion 74 as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2. After the desired number of sheets have been collected into the pile Ztl, the stop portion 75 is moved from the position shown in FIG. l to the position shown in FIG. 2 by the fluid pressure cylinder 76 as the next sheet enters the receiving station. At the same time, the stop portion 74 is moved upwardly by suitable means such as a cam (not shown) the thickness of one sheet, and this upward movement continues is similar increments as each of the number of additional sheets enters the receiving station. As a result, the pile assumes the stepped coniiguration shown in side elevation in FIG. 2 leaving a portion 78 of the lowermost sheet in the stack to be segregated unsupported for engagement by the leading member 40 of the stack carrier 36, which, in following the auxiliary track members Sfr, drops down and comes upwardly into engagement with the portion 7S of the lowermost sheet. As the carrier 3o then continues its conveying movement across the receiving station, it moves underneath and separates a stack from the pile, the stack being held stationary by engagement with the stop portion 74 until picked up by the carrier. During the time the stack is being picked up in this manner, the stop portion 75 is moved back to the position shown in FIG. l, the stop portion 74 is then lowered to interiingered engagement with it as the collection of sheets into a pile proceeds.

A stack so segregated and transported to the receiving station, such as the stack Sii shown in FIG. 1, is unloaded at the transfer station by engagement between its leading edge 81 and an abutment member 82 (FG. l). The carrier supporting tracks include a portion $3 passing below the abutment member 82 so that after the stack contacts the abutment member, the carrier moves on out of the transfer station and out from under the stack, depositing or unloading it upon the supporting bars 22.

Operation of the form of apparatus shown in FIGS. 4-6 in segregating and transporting a stack is simpler and is preferred. The entire pile of sheets 24311 at the receiving station is supported with a portion 69 of the lowermost sheet overhanging the support. Movement of the conveying means is so synchronized with the rate at which sheets are delivered to the pile that the carrier Sea enters the receiving station after the delivery of the last sheet of a stack and concurrently with the delivery of the next sheet 84, the leading edge of the carrier entering underneath the overhanging portion 69, above the sheet 84 and intermediate the leading and trailing edges thereof, thus segregating a stack from all following sheets as shown in FIG. 4. This segregated stack 85 is lifted over the stop 18a and transported to the transfer station where it is unloaded from the carrier through engagement with an abutment member S2 as previously explained.

After a stack has been deposited at the transfer station, the supporting bars 22 are lowered through operation of the cylinders 26, thereby transferring the stack to the conveyor belts 28 which remove it from the apparatus for further handling.

It can thus be seen that the apparatus of the invention operates to collect sheets in stacks and remove them without any interference with the flow of sheets from the form ing machine. The provision of separate stations at which sheets are received and transferred from the apparatus, in combination with conveying means operating between these stations with preferably a plurality of carriers increases the time available for performing the necessary handling operations on each individual stack. In other words, the apparatus permits more than one stack to be simultaneously handled. A further advantage is the fact that while the conveying means of the apparatus must be driven in synchronism with the rate at which sheets are formed by the corrugator, the exactness of synchronization is reduced to aminimum.

While preferred embodiments have been described above in detail, it will be understood that numerous modifications might be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for collecting, stacking and handling material delivered in successive sheets from the discharge end of a machine such as a corrugator, said apparatus including:

(a) means forming a receiving station having stop means adapted to be engaged by the leading edge of each sheet;

(b) feeding means for forming a pile of sheets by moving each sheet delivered from said machine into said receiving station underneath a preceding sheet, such movement being arrested by engagement between each sheet and said stop means;

(c) a transfer station adjacent said receiving station;

(d) conveying means for separating a stack of sheets from said pile at the receiving station and picking up and transporting a stack to said transfer station;

(e) means for driving said conveying means in synchronism with the sheet forming operation of said machine;

(f) means for supporting a stack at the receiving station with a portion of the bottom/of the lower sheet thereof exposed and overhanging the entrance to the receiving station;

(g) said conveying means including a stack carrier and means mounting said carrier for movement on a conveying run entering the receiving station under the overhanging portion of said lower sheet and extending upwardly at an angle to said supporting means whereby a stack is segregated and picked up by said carrier; and,

(lz) means for unloading a stack from said carrier at said transfer station.

2. Apparatus according to claim l further including means for shifting the lower portion of said stop means whereby any sheet in contact with said lower portion is also shifted so as to create an oifset between the bottom sheet of a stack and any sheets in said pile below such bottom sheet.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stack unloading means includes an abutment member at said transfer station engageable by the leading end of a stack being conveyed thereto on said conveying means whereby said conveying means are movable out from under such stack to deposit it at said transfer station.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveying means includes a plurality of stack carriers each having a length sufficient to support a single stack.

5. Apparatus according to claim l wherein said conveying means comprises a pair of endless chains, means mounting said chains on opposite sides of said receiving and transfer stations for travel in parallel vertical loops each of which includes a conveying run and a return run, and a plurality of stack carriers mounted between said chains in spaced relation around said loops.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized by said transfer station including an abutment member engageable by the advancing end of a stack supported on said stack carrier, and stack supporting means at said transfer station disposed below the path of movement of said stack carriers therethrough, the spacing between the trailing end of one carrier and the leading end of an immediately following carrier being suiicient to permit a stack to pass therethrough onto said supporting means in response to engagement between the leading edge of such stack and said abutment member and continued movement of the stack carrier out from under the stack so engaged.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim l wherein said conveying means includes a pair of endless members mounted on opposite sides of said receiving and transfer stations for travel in parallel loops each of which includes a conveying run and a return run; a pair of tracks for each of said endless members, each pair of tracks being parallel in the direction of travel, said stack carrier including a leading member, a series of following members connected between said endles members, roller means supporting said leading member on one track of each pair of tracks and said following members on the other track of each pair of tracks, link means connecting said leading member to each of said endless members, said leading member supporting tracks being arranged to enter said receiving station on said conveying run at a level initially below the level of said following member supporting tracks and extending up to the level of said following member supporting tracks.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said stack carrier comprises a sheet of iiexible material and means connecting each of said leading and following members thereto.

9. Collecting, stacking and sheet handling apparatus according to claim l wherein said conveying means comprises a pair of endless members, means supporting said endles members on opposite sides of said receiving and ransfer stations for travel in parallel loops each of which includes a conveying run and a return run, means for securing said stack carrier between said endless members, track means for deiining the path of travel of said endless members and stack carrier along said conveying run, said track means including a rst upwardly extending portion forming the entrance section of said conveying run through said receiving station, and a second upwardly extending portion passing over said stop means to said transfer station.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 further characterized by said transfer station including an abutment member engageable by the advancing end of a stack supported on said stack carrier, said track means extending below and beyond said abutment member to permit said stack carrier to move out from under a stack upon engagement of such stack with said abutment member.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further characterized by said transfer station including stack supporting means disposed below said track means, said stack supporting means including a transfer conveyor for withdrawing a deposited stack from said transfer station, said transfer conveyor being located below said track means a distance greater than the maximum height of a stack.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said track means includes a pair of track members for each one of said endless members, said stack carrier including a plurality of rollers engaging said track means, at least the leading supporting roller of said carrier engaging one track member of each pair and other following supporting rollers engaging the other track member of each pair, said one track member of each pair entering said receiving station at a level below the other track member of each pair whereby the leading edge of a stack carrier is brought upwardly into engagement with said stack.

13. Apparatus according to claim l wherein said conveying means includes a pair of endless members travelling in spaced parallel loops extending along opposite sides of said receiving and transfer stations in the direction of discharging movement of `sheets from said machine, each of said loops including a conveying run and a return run with the conveying run extending through said receiving station to said discharge station in such direction of movement, said stack carrier comprising means forming a support which is flexible in the direction of travel and rigid in a direction transverse thereto.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said stack carrier forming means comprises a belt-like member forming a stack supporting surface, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced reinforcing members extending between said endless members and secured to the undersurface of said belt member, roller means at each end of said reinforcing members, and track means engageable by said roller means for defining the path of travel of said stack carrier at least along the said conveying run thereof.

15. Apparatus for stacking and removing sheets of material from a receiving station at the discharge end of a machine such as a corrugator comprising the combination of underfeed stacking means at said receiving station for forming a pile oi sheets by feeding each sheet received under the immediately preceding sheet; means forming a transfer station adjacent said receiving station in end-toend relation therewith; means for conveying sheets in stacks from the pile of sheets at said receiving station to said Itransfer station, said conveying means comprising a pair of endless members, means for supporting said endless members for movement in parallel spaced vertical loops including conveying and return runs located adjacent opposite sides of said stations, at least one stack carrier connected between said endless members, said supporting means defining a path for said conveying run in which said carrier enters said receiving station at a level immediately below the bottom sheet of the stack and leaves said receiving station at a higher level so as to pick up a stack while travelling through said receiving station; means for driving said conveying means in synchronism with the sheet forming opera-tion of said machine; an abutment member mounted in the path of stack movement through said transfer station for engagement by the leading edge of a stack supported on said stack carrier, said supporting means extending below said abutment member whereby' a stack conveyed upon said carrier is halted by engagement with said abutment member while said carrier moves out from under such stack to deposit it at the transfer station; and means for withdrawing a deposited stack from the transfer station.

16. Apparatus for segregating into stacks sheets of material received in a pile in continuous succession comprising sheet supporting structure which includes a leading member and a secondary member, means for moving said sheet supporting structure, said means moving said leading member upwardly and horizontally through a defined path to segregate and support a plurality of sheets to form a collected stack and raise one end of the collected stack above subsequently delivered sheets of said pile and said means moving the said secondary member through a separate defined path to receive and support the collected stack in horizontally spaced relation and at a predetermined elevation with respect to the said leading member so that the collected stack is supported in overlying spaced relation to subsequently delivered sheets.

17. Apparatus for segregating into stacks sheets of material received in a pile in continuous succession comprising sheet supporting structure which includes a leading member and a secondary member, means for moving said sheet supporting structure, said means moving said leading member upwardly and horizontally through a defined path to segregate and support a plurality' of sheets to form a collected stack and raise one end of the collected stack above subsequently delivered sheets of said pile, and said means moving the said secondary member to receive and support the collected stack in horizontally spaced relation to the said leading member so that the collected stack is supported in overlying spaced relation to subsequently delivered sheets, and means for transferring said collected stack of sheets from said members.

1S. ln combination with an underfeed stacking means which collects sheets of material flowing in continuous end-to-end fashion at a collecting station by feeding each sheet under the preceding sheet to form a pile, a means for forming a segregated stack of the collected sheets comprising a group of supporting members including a leading member and a secondary member, means connected to said members to move the leading member upwardly and horizontally into the collecting station in a predetined path to engage one oi the sheets of the collec-ted pile at its underside and near lthe trailing end thereof and raise that end of the sheets of the pile overlying said leading member and successively move the secondary member along the underside of said one of the sheets from its said raised trailing end, said members co-operating to segregate said stack of sheets in vertically spaced relation to the other piled sheets at said collecting station, and means for transferring the segregated stack of sheets from said members.

19. The combination delined in claim 18, wherein said leading member is a wedgeeshaped member that is moved into the collecting station with the point of the wedge facing forwmdly.

20. The combination deiined in claim 18, wherein the underfeed stacking means includes 'a vertically disposed stop means disposed transversely of .the collect-ing station deiining the terminal end of said collecting station.

21. The combination defined in claim 20, wherein said stop means is stationary and extends vertically to a po-int below the raised elevation of the lowermost sheet of the segregated stack of sheets.

22. The combination delined in claim 20, wherein said stop means comprises an upwardly movable portion and a horizontally movable portion, .and means for moving said last mentioned portion forwardly in timed relation with said movement of the leading member into the collecting station to create an offset in the sheets in the collected pile `and expose the trailing end of said one of the sheets of the Ipile for engagement by said leading member.

23. The combination delined in claim 22, wherein said upwardly movable portion of the stop means is connected to means for moving it upwardly in response to forward movement of said horizontally movable portion of the stop means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,847,812 Burton Mar. 1, 1932 2,815,870 Laub Dec. 10, 1957 2,960,243 Beaulieu Nov. 15, 1960 2,988,236 Shields `lune 13, 1961 3,017,041 Hawkes Ian. 16, 1962 3,070,241 Johnston Dec. 25, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,013,156 Germany Aug. 1, 1957 

1. APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, STACKING AND HANDLING MATERIAL DELIVERED IN SUCCESSIVE SHEETS FROM THE DISCHARGE END OF A MACHINE SUCH AS A CURRUGATOR, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING: (A) MEANS FORMING A RECEIVING STATION HAVING STOP MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE LEADING EDGE OF EACH SHEET; (B) FEEDING MEANS FOR FORMING A PILE OF SHEETS BY MOVING EACH SHEET DELIVERED FROM SAID MACHINE INTO SAID RECEIVING STATION UNDERNEATH OF PRECEDING SHEET, SUCH MOVEMENT BEING ARRESTED BY ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN EACH SHEET AND SAID STOP MEANS; (C) A TRANSFER STATION ADJACENT SAID RECEIVING STATION; (D) CONVEYING MEANS FOR SEPARATING A STACK OF SHEETS FROM SAID PILE AT THE RECEIVING STATION AND PICKING UP AND TRANSPORTING A STACK TO SAID TRANSFER STATION; (E) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYING MEANS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE SHEET FORMING OPERATION OF SAID MACHINE; (F) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A STACK AT THE RECEIVING STATION WITH A PORTION OF THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWER SHEET THEREOF EXPOSED AND OVERHANGING THE ENTRANCE TO THE RECEIVING STATION; (G) SAID CONVEYING MEANS INCLUDING A STACK CARRIER AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID CARRIED FOR MOVEMENT ON A CONVEYING RUN ENTERING THE RECEIVING STATION UNDER THE OVERHANGING PORTION OF SAID LOWER SHEET AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS WHEREBY A STACK IS SEGREGATED AND PICKED UP BY SAID CARRIER; AND, (H) MEANS FOR UNLOADING A STACK FROM SAID CARRIER AT SAID TRANSFER STATION. 